Victims of enforced disappearances are deprived of their liberty,
kept in secret detention and seldom released. Often their fate remains
unknown; they are frequently tortured and in constant fear of being
killed. Even if they are eventually set free, the physical and
psychological scars stay with them for the rest of their lives. The
victims’ families and loved ones also suffer immense anguish.
Far from being a practice employed only in the past by military
dictatorships, enforced disappearance continues to be used by some
States. In the past year alone, the Committee on Enforced
Disappearances and the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary
Disappearance -- the two United Nations mechanisms on enforced
disappearance, composed of independent experts -- received 246 requests
by family members across the world to take urgent action. This figure
is just a fraction of the thousands of cases that are never reported
either because of security conditions or because of a lack of knowledge
of the existence of international mechanisms that can help.
In recent years there has also been an alarming number of acts by
non-state actors, including armed extremist and terrorist groups, that
are tantamount to enforced disappearances and that are also gross
abuses of human rights.
The prohibition of enforced disappearance is absolute. The
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from
Enforced Disappearance affirms unequivocally that the use of enforced
disappearance is illegal under any circumstances, including war,
internal political instability or any other public emergency.
The Convention entered into force in 2010, has been signed by 93
States and ratified by 50, and provides a sound foundation for fighting
impunity, protecting disappeared persons and their families and
strengthening the guarantees provided by the rule of law -- including
investigation, prosecution, justice and reparation.
On this international day, I urge all Member States to ratify or
accede to the Convention without delay, and I call on the States
parties to the Convention to implement it. It is time for an end to all
enforced disappearances.

GENEVA (28 August 2015) –Two United Nations expert groups on enforced disappearances call on States to establish and activate protocols for the immediate search of disappeared persons across the world.

Speaking ahead of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, on Sunday 30 August, the Committee on Enforced Disappearances and the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances urge Governments to activate all means of search of disappeared persons in a systematic way, including through the establishment of protocols.

“Over the last year, we have been working on 246 recent cases of enforced disappearances perpetrated all over the world - a clear indication that this heinous practice is still used in a number of countries. These cases are nevertheless only the tip of the iceberg of thousands of cases which are never reported either because of fear of reprisals or because the security conditions do not allow doing so.

The lack of resources and the insufficient awareness of existing international mechanisms are other reasons why many cases of enforced disappearances are never reported to the United Nations.

Following the activation of the urgent actions procedures by the Working Group and the Committee on Enforced Disappearances over the last year, 13 disappeared persons were found alive, in detention, and sadly two were found dead.

These procedures can make a difference for the relatives in despair:

‘I would like to inform you that due to your constant intervention and monitoring of the situation, XX was released by his abductors. Words cannot express how grateful we are to the Working Group and I request you to personally convey my indebtedness to every member of the group.’

‘Thanks for reading my messages and for taking them into account. I finally have the impression that someone is listening to me and paying attention to the case of my son,’ wrote the mother of a disappeared person.

‘I would like to inform you hereby that because of the impact of strong support and concern shown by your office, xx and xx were safely released.’

‘The letter of the Committee was received two weeks ago. A few days later, [the authorities] came to visit us to inform about the investigation and invited us to take part to it. It is the first time after so many months that we have the impression that things are moving again,’ wrote jointly the mothers of two disappeared persons.

The experience and use of the tool of urgent actions by the Committee and the Working Group show that in the case of enforced disappearance time is of the essence. The hours and days that follow a disappearance are crucial to find the disappeared person alive. The actions taken in the immediate aftermath of a disappearance cannot be left to hazards but have to be systematized in protocols that permit the immediate activation of all means at disposal for the search of the disappeared.

These protocols for the search of the disappeared need to be established in all States - irrespective of the number of enforced disappearances - and have to presume, at least initially, that the disappeared person must be searched alive.

We call upon governments to take action as soon as a case of disappearance is reported to the authorities and all necessary measures to seek and find the disappeared person and to avoid irreparable harm.

We equally urge governments to guarantee the full protection from all forms of reprisals of those who report cases of enforces disappearances, the authors of the urgent actions requests, the witnesses, the relatives of the disappeared persons, their defence counsels, and all persons taking part in the related investigations.

We also encourage all those whose beloved ones have disappeared, as well as those acting on their behalf, to make use of the tool provided by the urgent action procedures* of the Working Group and of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances.”

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the dawn of the nuclear age.
Seven decades ago, the Trinity Test unleashed the power of more than
20,000 tons of TNT
and precipitated over 2,000 additional nuclear tests.
Pristine environments and populated communities in Central Asia,
North Africa, North America and the South Pacific were hit. Many have
never recovered from the resulting environmental, health and economic
damage.
Poisoned groundwater, cancer, leukaemia, radioactive fallout – these are among the poisonous legacies of nuclear testing.
The best way to honour the victims of past tests is to prevent any in the future.
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty is essential for the elimination
of nuclear weapons. It is a legally-binding, verifiable means by which to constrain
the quantitative and qualitative development of nuclear weapons.
Nearly two decades after the CTBT was negotiated, the time has long past
for its entry-into-force.
I welcome the voluntary moratoria on testing imposed by
nuclear-armed States. At the same time, I stress that these cannot
substitute for a legally-binding Treaty.
On this International Day, I repeat my longstanding call on all remaining States
to sign and ratify the Treaty – especially the eight necessary for its entry-into-force –
as a critical step on the road to a nuclear-weapon-free world.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the first nuclear weapon
test, carried out in New Mexico in July 1945. In the months following
that test, the General Assembly adopted its first resolution calling for
the elimination of all weapons of mass destruction. Furthermore, in
2009, the General Assembly adopted resolution 64/35, designating 29
August as the International Day against Nuclear Tests.
This year’s commemoration of the International Day against
Nuclear Tests presents an opportunity to raise awareness and educate
the public about this critical issue. Education can play a key role in
building mutual understanding, promoting peace, and advocating for
disarmament. We should make use of this occasion to engage with civil
society, the media and academia, to work together towards a world free
of nuclear weapons.
Despite the grave impacts of nuclear weapons testing on
human lives, the environment, and international peace and security; the
Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) has still not entered
into force. During its current session, the United Nations General
Assembly has reiterated its firm commitment to the Treaty. I would like
to use this occasion to stress the vital importance and urgency of its
signature and ratification, without delay, in order to realize the
CTBT’s early entry into force.
The recently held 2015 Review Conference of the Treaty on
the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) has highlighted the stark
reality of the increasing divisions between the States parties over
the future of nuclear disarmament. It is now time to bridge the gap and
work with more resolute political will to ensure that the NPT
continues to remain the cornerstone of global security.
I applaud the efforts of the Government of Kazakhstan, not
only for initiating the International Day against Nuclear Tests, but
also for its continuing leadership in efforts to end nuclear weapons
testing and to promote a world free of nuclear weapons.
I also commend the recent announcement of the Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran’s nuclear programme,
reached in Vienna between the E3 + 3 and Iran as an important step
forward on this critical issue. I hope this agreement will benefit the
non-proliferation regime and will lead to greater mutual understanding
and cooperation on the many serious security challenges in the Middle
East and beyond.
As President of the General Assembly, I will convene an informal
meeting of the plenary of the General Assembly to mark this important
international day on 10 September 2015 under the overall theme “Towards
Zero: Resolving the Contradictions”.

Banning nuclear weapons testing – an unfinished business In Japan earlier this month, I had the privilege to meet Makoto Takahara, who was 17 when the nuclear bomb detonated over his home city Hiroshima. Hearing his first-­‐hand account of the horrors he witnessed then once again put into sharp focus for me the threat posed by nuclear weapons. I am proud to support the Hibakusha, as the survivors are known, in calling on the world: No more Hiroshima; no more Nagasaki. The more than 2,000 nuclear tests conducted during the Cold War paved the way for the development of weapons that dwarf the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs in explosive power. Populations downwind from the test sites paid with their health and often their lives. One of the most affected areas was Semipalatinsk in Kazakhstan.

August 29 marks the day of the first nuclear test at Semipalatinsk, as well as the site’s closure in 1991 by the newly independent Kazakhstan. At the country’s initiative, the date has been commemorated since 2010 as the International Day against Nuclear Tests. August 29 serves as reminder that banning nuclear testing remains unfinished business. The Comprehensive Nuclear-­‐Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), in spite of enjoying near-­‐universal support, has yet to become legally binding due to its exceptionally demanding entry into force clause, which prescribes that all 44 countries listed in the Treaty as nuclear technology holders must ratify. Of these, eight still remain: China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, and the United States.

The Treaty has nonetheless gone a long way in limiting and stigmatizing nuclear testing, largely due to a robust verification regime which is nearly fully operational. Only a handful of nuclear tests have been conducted since the Treaty was adopted in 1996 and only one country, North Korea, has tested in this century.

Entry into force of the Treaty will require political leadership and determination at all levels, but once the ban on all nuclear testing is a legal reality, the world will have taken the first concrete step towards answering the call of Hibakusha to banish nuclear weapons from the face of the earth, and to guarantee No more Hiroshima; no more Nagasaki.

Exhibition : To mark this year’s International Day Against Nuclear Tests an exhibition of art related to nuclear testing and nuclear weapons by
artists from Austria, China, Kazakhstan, and the United States was on
display at the Vienna International Centre. It culminated in a formal
event on the eve of the Day itself which was attended by a large number
of representatives of the Vienna diplomatic community, NGOs and media.
The Chinese Artists’ Association and the Permanent Mission of Kazakhstan
to the International Organizations in Vienna supported the exhibition
and the event.

International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave
Trade and its Abolition was first celebrated in a number of countries,
in particular in Haiti (23 August 1998) and Goree in Senegal (23 August
1999). Cultural events and debates too were organized. The year 2001 saw
the participation of the Mulhouse Textile Museum in France in the form
of a workshop for fabrics called "Indiennes de Traite" (a type of
calico) which served as currency for the exchange of slaves in the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

Circular CL/3494 of 29 July 1998 from the
Director-General to Ministers of Culture invites all the Member States
to organize events to mark 23 August each year.

Generations of artists have, ever since the abolitions of slavery,
seized, revisited, rehabilitated, and transmitted, when their turn came,
these esthetic legacies in diverse areas of creation. They have also
taken over the historical, political, social, and identity questions
inherited from colonial history as to draw new horizons to individual and intercultural relations.

To address these issues, UNESCO Slave Route Project along with the
cultural association "Fait à Cuba" and Vallois gallery organize an event
from 4 to 11 September in Paris consisting of a seminar, an exhibition
and a performance. These activities will be offering a plural reflection
on the relation that contemporary artists hold to the history and
memory of slavery.
- How does this tragic history, still
ill-known on the scientific field of research and marginalized by the
media, feed artistic creation in its most contemporary forms? -
Does artistic creation enable to voice and crystallize new viewpoints on
this complex phenomenon as well as to generate unprecedented
overcomings? - How do artists draw inspiration from, refer to, and
carry this painful memory but also transcend it so as to achieve
universality?

On World Humanitarian Day, we honour the selfless dedication and
sacrifice of workers and volunteers from around the world who devote
themselves – often at great personal risk – to assisting
the world’s most vulnerable people.
This year, more than 100 million women, men and children need
life-saving humanitarian assistance. The amount of people affected by
conflict has reached levels not seen since the Second World War, while
the number of those affected by natural and human-induced disasters
remains profound.
On this Day we also celebrate our common humanity. The families
and communities struggling to survive in today’s emergencies do so with
resilience and dignity. They need and deserve our renewed commitment
to do all we can to provide them with the means for a better future.
Each one of us can make a difference. In a world that is ever more
digitally connected, each of us has the power and responsibility to
inspire our fellow human beings to act to help others and create
a more humane world.
On this World Humanitarian Day I urge everyone to show solidarity
as global citizens by signing up to the #ShareHumanity campaign. By
donating your social media feeds for just one day you can promote
humanitarian action and help to give a voice to the voiceless by
sharing their stories of crisis, hope and resilience.
Next May, Istanbul, Turkey, will host the first World Humanitarian
Summit. The Summit will provide a platform for Heads of State and
Government and leaders from civil society, the private sector,
crisis-affected communities and multilateral organizations to announce
bold new partnerships
and initiatives that will vastly reduce suffering and at the same time reinforce the 2030 agenda
for sustainable development.
I count on the support of all sectors of society to make the World Humanitarian Summit
a success. Together we can and must build a more humane world with a stronger commitment
to life-saving humanitarian action.

As the World Food Programme marks August 19 as World
Humanitarian Day – the 12th anniversary of the tragic deaths of 22
colleagues in the bombing of the United Nations office in Baghdad – we
mourn and cherish those members of our own family taken from us. Over
the last year, four of our colleagues in South Sudan have disappeared
without a trace. We have searched relentlessly for news of their
whereabouts, hoping for the best but fearing the worst. After many
months, we must sadly conclude that they are no longer alive.

Our thoughts are with their families. We will remember their dedication, compassion and courage.

As we honour the recently fallen, we also pay tribute to the many in
WFP and across the humanitarian community selflessly striving day in,
day out, to meet the pressing needs of the vulnerable, hungry poor in
hotspots around the world. With 80 percent of humanitarian work now in
countries and regions affected by conflict, the task of giving
life-saving assistance is increasingly, for too many colleagues,
life-threatening.

Today, too often, feeding the hungry demands unlimited courage and
boundless commitment from those on the front line. Humanitarians,
including our WFP colleagues, must be fearless. I am honoured to say I
work with 14,000 of the bravest, hardest working people on earth. During
my tenure as WFP Executive Director, I’ve witnessed their personal
sacrifices, shared their tears and personally witnessed the losses. Just
a few days ago, I stood in the ruins of a colleague’s home in the
Yemeni capital, Sana’a.
As securing the access we need to provide impartial assistance
becomes increasingly difficult in places like Yemen and South Sudan,
more is asked of humanitarian actors than ever before. We thank all
those who serve for the inspiration they give all of us every day.

Nearly 60 million people are forcibly displaced by conflict, war and persecution, the largest number since the United Nations was created 70 years ago in the ashes of the Second World War. And due to climate change, the frequency and severity of natural disasters is increasing, with more than 400 disasters last year alone.

Today on World Humanitarian Day, we express strong solidarity with the women, men, youth and children who are suffering from humanitarian emergencies worldwide. And we salute the humanitarian workers who strive to meet their needs and uphold human rights and dignity. UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, joins the #ShareHumanity campaign to tell the stories behind humanitarian crises.

Zainab and Nigo, were abducted by Boko Haram in Nigeria, but managed to escape. Their courage has been an inspiration to others. “Despite the fear, I did not lose hope,” Nigo said. In Afghanistan, Zarmina was abducted and forced into sexual slavery. Then, her mother organized to rescue her. UNFPA supports survivors like Nigo, Zainab and Zarmina, as we work to prevent and respond to gender-based violence. UNFPA also works closely with community members, who are often the best, most knowledgeable emergency responders.

Sita Paudel, a paralegal in Nepal, survived the devastating earthquake, and knew she had to take action. She became an organizer, bringing aid to remote villages and taking vulnerable women and girls to UNFPA-supported services. “I know how bad the situation is for women out there,” she said. In Colombia, Viviana was displaced by violence and became pregnant while still a teenager, and went on to become a youth leader. While fleeing Syria, Amir was shot and even declared dead. But he survived and is a volunteer at a UNFPA-supported centre.

UNFPA works to provide sexual and reproductive health services to ensure safe birth even in the most difficult circumstances. Chantal walked for four days to a refugee camp after fleeing Burundi. “I had expected the worst to happen,” she said. Instead, she gave birth safely at a maternity centre. Isra'a, a Syrian refugee, lost her baby when she could not afford the medical bills. But today, she is pregnant again and receiving care through UNFPA. To escape floods in Malawi, Alimanda climbed high into a tree when she was eight months pregnant. She survived and later gave birth to a healthy baby girl. In Vanuatu after Cyclone Pam, Katherine Silas sought family planning, so she could make her own choices and plan for the future. In Liberia, Comfort Fayiah gave birth in the rain, on the street, to twins, as Ebola overtook health workers, hospitals and clinics. UNFPA is working with partners to build sustainable and resilient health systems.

Today on World Humanitarian Day, and every day, UNFPA stands strong for the human rights and inherent dignity of every human being. To improve humanitarian effectiveness, we call for increased action and funding for sexual and reproductive health services, for tackling gender-based violence, and for the meaningful participation of affected populations, especially women and young people.

Emerging threats, violent extremism, shifting political
conditions, economic turmoil and social transformations are combining
to heighten the challenges facing the world’s young people. No one
knows better than them the issues at stake or the best way to respond.
That is why I am calling on young people to speak out – and I am urging
leaders to listen.
As the world changes with unprecedented speed, young people are
proving to be invaluable partners who can advance meaningful solutions.
Youth movements and student groups are challenging traditional power
structures and advocating a new social contract between States and
societies. Young leaders have contributed fresh ideas, taken proactive
measures, and mobilized through social media as never before.
I applaud the millions of young people who are protesting for
rights and participation, addressing staggering levels of youth
unemployment, raising their voices against injustice, and advocating
global action for people and the planet.
In this landmark year, as leaders prepare to adopt a bold new
vision for sustainable development, the engagement of youth is more
valuable than ever. At this critical moment in history, I call on young
people to demand and foster the dramatic progress so urgently needed
in our world.
Volunteerism is an ideal way to improve society – and it is open
to virtually everyone. Youth can also join forces with the United
Nations as we move from forging the new sustainable development goals
to implementing them. That spirit of action is embodied in the theme of
this International Day: “Youth and Civic Engagement.”
I stand with the world’s young people in calling for measures to
secure human rights, economic progress, environmental stewardship and
social inclusion.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the United Nations Charter
and the 20th anniversary of the World Programme of Action for Youth.
In support of their aims, my Youth Envoy is helping to mobilize this
largest generation of young people in history. As he says, youth
engagement can help turn the world we want into the world we deserve.
Let us all support young people in creating a future where our planet is protected and all people live in dignity.

International Youth Day is an opportunity to
celebrate the creative force and the innovative impetus that young
people bring to every society. This year’s theme – “Youth Civic Engagement”
– emphasizes the role played by the involvement and inclusion of young
people in building social cohesion and collective well-being.

From social entrepreneurs to journalists, from
voluntary workers to members of community organizations, young people
contribute to shaping society to lead it towards political, cultural
and economic renewal.

We must support their civic engagement at every
level, beginning with recognizing that young people form a separate
social group with specific characteristics and expectations. Civic
engagement is a way to exploit this potential to enrich society, further
human rights and enable improved living conditions for all.

These goals are at the core of UNESCO’s projects, to
offer young people the space and skills they need to develop, which
reflects on all societies.

That is the spirit of UNESCO’s project to strengthen youth networks in the Mediterranean.
Young people must be considered the drivers of change, and not only
beneficiaries or targets. That involves reinforcing exchanges and
cooperation between generations to ensure that young people are actually
involved in developing the policies intended for them. The ninth UNESCO Youth Forum,
held in October, will provide a unique platform to convey this message,
and I invite young people from all over the world to attend and make
their voices heard, to shape the action of world leaders. These voices
carry the hope of half of the planet, for a sustainable future for all.

Young people must be considered the drivers of change, and not only beneficiaries or targets.

Irina Bokova
UNESCO Director-General
International Youth Day 2015

UNESCO youth Forum - Youth For Change, 26-28 october 2015, Paris

9th UNESCO Youth Forum

UNESCO Paris, France, 26-28 October 2015

This edition’s theme is “Young Global Citizens for a Sustainable Planet”,
to allow discussion of sustainable development challenges in the
post-2015 context, while also maintaining a focus on climate change and
related global debates around the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21).

The Forum is an integral part of the 38th session of the UNESCO General Conference.

Today, UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, commemorates International Youth Day, under the theme, “Youth Civic Engagement,” by celebrating the actions young people around the world take to improve their well-being and that of their communities.

In 65 countries, more than half the population is younger than 24. Denying these young people the right to meaningful participation in decision-making is a gross violation of their human rights and a failure of the democratic process. It is also a waste of human capital that can propel nations towards development.

Young people are driving change towards a better future for all in every corner of the world. They are leading global action on climate change, campaigning to end discrimination, speaking out to uphold democracy and the freedom of speech, connecting our world with innovations in information technology, and building peace in societies ravaged by war.

In a world of increasing conflict, young people must be our strongest partners if peace and security are to win out over war. We need their fullest capability and broadest engagement for people, the planet and prosperity to flourish.

The next 15 years offer a unique opportunity for a demographic dividend that will accelerate conflict-recovery and sustainable economic growth and development in many countries if we empower, support, educate and create employment for young people today. Young women and men need protection from violence, and they have a right to access essential education and health services, including for their sexual and reproductive health. They also have the right to be at the tables where decisions and peace are made.

Yet, for the most part, young people remain excluded from decision-making processes. Although 16 per cent of the world’s population is 20-29 years old, this age group represents only 1.6 per cent of parliamentarians, most of whom are men. Young people rarely join political parties, and the majority do not vote in elections.

It is misleading, however, to conclude that young people are uninterested or simply do not care. Today’s young people are better educated and volunteer more for causes than previous generations. They are also a key driving force behind making companies, organizations and governments more socially and environmentally conscious.

To fully participate in the lives of their communities, young people need to overcome multiple legal, social and cultural barriers and discrimination. Adolescent girls, in particular, are often burdened by child marriage, sexual violence, unplanned pregnancies and HIV, preventing their full civic engagement.

In September, world leaders will formally adopt Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a historic, transformative, inclusive, universal agenda for our people and the planet. To have any chance of succeeding in building a better future for humanity, we must remove the obstacles confronted by young people and invest in their health, well-being, education and livelihoods to unleash and leverage their full potential as global citizens. We must ensure that all young people have access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, including comprehensive sexuality education.

UNFPA is proud to work with networks of adolescents and youth to mobilize support for the United Nations Secretary-General’s Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health.

Our efforts to promote youth leadership and participation enable young people to develop the skills, knowledge and support needed to make informed decisions about their bodies, lives, families, communities, countries and the world.Together, we can ensure that the post-2015 development agenda promotes the human rights, health and well-being of the largest generation of young people in history.

Together, working in partnership with young people, we can enable them to survive, thrive and transform our world, and deliver a better future for all of us.

UNFPA Executive Director

Statement
of the UNFPA Executive Director for International Youth Day - See more
at:
http://www.unfpa.org/news/investing-power-young-people-transforming-our-world#sthash.VBSHEQHw.dpuf

Investing in the Power of Young People, Transforming our World

12 August 2015

Author: UNFPA

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Statement of the UNFPA Executive Director for International Youth Day
Today, UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, commemorates
International Youth Day, under the theme, “Youth Civic Engagement,” by
celebrating the actions young people around the world take to improve
their well-being and that of their communities.
In 65 countries, more than half the population is younger than 24.
Denying these young people the right to meaningful participation in
decision-making is a gross violation of their human rights and a failure
of the democratic process. It is also a waste of human capital that can
propel nations towards development.
Young people are driving change towards a better future for all in
every corner of the world. They are leading global action on climate
change, campaigning to end discrimination, speaking out to uphold
democracy and the freedom of speech, connecting our world with
innovations in information technology, and building peace in societies
ravaged by war.
In a world of increasing conflict, young people must be our strongest
partners if peace and security are to win out over war. We need their
fullest capability and broadest engagement for people, the planet and
prosperity to flourish.
The next 15 years offer a unique opportunity for a demographic
dividend that will accelerate conflict-recovery and sustainable economic
growth and development in many countries if we empower, support,
educate and create employment for young people today. Young women and
men need protection from violence, and they have a right to access
essential education and health services, including for their sexual and
reproductive health. They also have the right to be at the tables where
decisions and peace are made.
Yet, for the most part, young people remain excluded from
decision-making processes. Although 16 per cent of the world’s
population is 20-29 years old, this age group represents only 1.6 per
cent of parliamentarians, most of whom are men. Young people rarely join
political parties, and the majority do not vote in elections.
It is misleading, however, to conclude that young people are
uninterested or simply do not care. Today’s young people are better
educated and volunteer more for causes than previous generations. They
are also a key driving force behind making companies, organizations and
governments more socially and environmentally conscious.
To fully participate in the lives of their communities, young people
need to overcome multiple legal, social and cultural barriers and
discrimination. Adolescent girls, in particular, are often burdened by
child marriage, sexual violence, unplanned pregnancies and HIV,
preventing their full civic engagement.
In September, world leaders will formally adopt Transforming Our
World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a historic,
transformative, inclusive, universal agenda for our people and the
planet. To have any chance of succeeding in building a better future for
humanity, we must remove the obstacles confronted by young people and
invest in their health, well-being, education and livelihoods to unleash
and leverage their full potential as global citizens. We must ensure
that all young people have access to sexual and reproductive health and
rights, including comprehensive sexuality education.
UNFPA is proud to work with networks of adolescents and youth to
mobilize support for the United Nations Secretary-General’s Global
Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health.
Our efforts to promote youth leadership and participation enable
young people to develop the skills, knowledge and support needed to make
informed decisions about their bodies, lives, families, communities,
countries and the world.Together, we can ensure that the post-2015
development agenda promotes the human rights, health and well-being of
the largest generation of young people in history.
Together, working in partnership with young people, we can enable
them to survive, thrive and transform our world, and deliver a better
future for all of us.

- See more at: http://www.unfpa.org/news/investing-power-young-people-transforming-our-world#sthash.VBSHEQHw.dpuf

NET-MED
Youth is a unique three-year project implemented by UNESCO and funded
by the European Union with the aim of building the capacities of youth,
enhancing networking among them, engaging them in dialogue with national
stakeholders and in the development and revision of public policies.

On 12 August 2015, the UN Department of Economic and Social
Affairs (UNDESA) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) with the
support of the UN Inter-agency Network on Youth Development is
organizing an event to commemorate International Youth Day under the
theme Youth Civic Engagement. Find more information about the
International Youth Day 2015 event by clicking here.( http://undesadspd.org/Youth/InternationalYouthDay/2015/Event.aspx)

2015 Events Around The World

Organize an event to celebrate International Youth Day in your
community, school, youth club, or workplace. You can get some ideas from
the toolkit here. If you organize an event, let us know about it sending an email to youth@un.org, and we’ll map it on our International Youth Day activities map.

2015 Featured Event: Celebration In The Philippines

The Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth Mr. Ahmad Alhendawiwill
mark the International Youth Day with young people from Asia at large
and from the Philippines in particular. On August 12, the Envoy will
deliver opening remarks at the 3rd Asian Youth Forum. He will also join
the Filipino National Youth Day Celebration with 1,000 young people
from the country, UN, government representatives, legislators, civil
society partners, and donor organizations.

This year, as the United Nations commemorates its 70th
anniversary, we can look back on major advances for humanity. The 2007
adoption by the General Assembly of the Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples was one of many successes achieved through the
fruitful partnership between indigenous peoples and United Nations
Member States.
The year also marks a watershed in human development. The period
of the Millennium Development Goals is drawing to a close to be
succeeded by a post-2015 development agenda designed to advance
inclusion and shared prosperity. This people’s agenda is a concrete
plan of action for ending poverty in all its dimensions, irreversibly,
everywhere, and leaving no one behind.
On this International Day, we are focusing attention on the health
and well-being of the world’s indigenous peoples. The Declaration
affirms the right to maintain indigenous health practices as well as to
have access to all social and health services for the enjoyment of the
highest standards of physical and mental health. We must make every
effort to support indigenous peoples’ rights and aspirations as affirmed
in the Declaration.
Indigenous peoples face a wide range of challenges to their health
and well-being. Most are eminently preventable. They include inadequate
sanitation and housing, lack of prenatal care, widespread violence
against women, and high rates of diabetes, drug and alcohol abuse,
youth suicide and infant mortality. These issues must be urgently
addressed as part of the post-2015 development agenda in culturally
appropriate ways that meet indigenous peoples’ conceptions of and
aspirations for well-being.
On this International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, I
call on the international community to ensure that they are not left
behind. To create a better, more equitable future, let us commit to do
more to improve the health and well-being of indigenous peoples

By Mr. Wu Hongbo, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs

Over the past two decades, international efforts have been made to improve the rights of indigenous peoples, to bring awareness to their issues, including their engagement in developing policy and programmes in order to improve their livelihoods. In the First Decade of the World’s Indigenous People (1995 – 2004) the United Nations created the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues as well as the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples.

During the Second Decade of the World’s Indigenous People (2005 – 2015), there have been further initiatives such as the creation of Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in September 2007 was a major step for the United Nations as the Declaration had been debated for over twenty years. The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues is an advisory body to the Economic and Social Council with a mandate to discuss indigenous issues related to economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health and human rights. At its twelfth session, the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues reviewed health as one of its mandated areas and stated the right to health materializes through the well-being of an individual as well as the social, emotional, spiritual and cultural well-being of the whole community.

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples states that indigenous peoples have the right to be actively involved in developing and determining their health programmes; the right to their traditional medicines, maintain their health practices, and the equal right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. Unfortunately, indigenous peoples suffer higher rates of ill health and have dramatically shorter life expectancy than other groups living in the same countries. This inequity results in indigenous peoples suffering unacceptable health problems and they are more likely to experience disabilities and dying at a younger age than their non-indigenous counterparts.

Indigenous peoples’ health status is severely affected by their living conditions, income levels, employment rates, access to safe water, sanitation, health services and food availability. Indigenous peoples are facing destruction to their lands, territories and resources, which are essential to their very survival. Other threats include climate change and environmental contamination (heavy metals, industrial gases and effluent wastes).

Indigenous peoples also experience major structural barriers in accessing health care. These include geographical isolation and poverty which results in not having the means to pay the high cost for transport or treatment. This is further compounded by discrimination, racism and a lack of cultural understanding and sensitivity. Many health systems do not reflect the social and cultural practices and beliefs of indigenous peoples.

At the same time, it is often difficult to obtain a global assessment of indigenous peoples’ health status because of the lack of data. There has to be more work undertaken towards building on existing data collection systems to include data on indigenous peoples and their communities.

This publication sets out to examine the major challenges for indigenous peoples to obtain adequate access to and utilization of quality health care services. It provides an important background to many of the health issues that indigenous peoples are currently facing. Improving indigenous peoples’ health remains a critical challenge for indigenous peoples, States and the United Nations.

This year's theme puts a spotlight on the issue of indigenous peoples'
access to health care services, as improving indigenous peoples’ health
remains a critical challenge for indigenous peoples, Member States and
the United Nations. The “State of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, Volume
II”, which will be launched at the UN Headquarters event in observance
of the International Day, provides important background information on
the topic

The observance of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous
Peoples will take place on Monday, 10 August 2015 in ECOSOC Chamber,
from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the United Nations Headquarters in New
York.
As part of the commemoration of the International Day of the World’s
Indigenous Peoples, the Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous
Issues and the Department of Public Information is organizing an event
that will bring together indigenous peoples organizations, UN agencies,
Member States and the general public. This year the theme will be on
“Post 2015 Agenda: Ensuring indigenous peoples health and well-being”.
To register for this event please send an email to Mr. Nicolas
Magnien at magnien@un.org and Mr. Arturo Requesens at requesens@un.org
indicating full name and organization affiliation. You will receive an
email confirming your registration. The deadline to register to attend
the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is Tuesday, 4
August 2015.

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UNIS Handbook for Journalists and 2011 Calendar

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“Chemistry – Our life, our future”, IYC 2011

United Nations activities and programmes.

United Nations observances contribute to the achievement of the purposes of the UN Charter and promote awareness of and action on important political, social, cultural, humanitarian or human rights issues. They provide a useful means for the promotion of international and national action and stimulate interest in United Nations activities and programmes. For international years and decades the UN Secretary General takes action to establish the preparatory process, evaluation and follow-up procedures.

In 1950, the General Assembly approved the first international day — Human Rights Day — to be observed on 10 December. Resolution 423 (V) invited all states and international organizations to observe this day to celebrate the proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the General Assembly on 10 December 1948, and to exert increasing efforts in this field.

In 1978, the General Assembly by its resolution S-10/2 proclaimed the first international week — the week starting 24 October (the day of the founding of the UN) — as a week devoted to fostering the objectives of disarmament (Disarmament Week).

The first international year was proclaimed by the General Assembly in 1959. It was the World Refugee Year [Resolution 1285 (XIII)].

The first UN decade was the United Nations Development Decade designated by the General Assembly in 1961 [Resolution 1710 (XVI)].

1971–1980 : Second United Nations Development Decade - A/RES/2626 (XXV)

1970s : Disarmament Decade - A/RES/2602 E (XXIV)

1960–1970 : United Nations Development Decade - A/RES/1710 (XVI)

31 January

World Leprosy Day is celebrated on the last Sunday in January in over 100 countries.

02 February

The international theme 2011 is "wetlands and forests - forests for water and wetlands"

04 February

WHO estimates that 84 million people will die of cancer between 2005 and 2015 without intervention.

06 February

WHO is committed to the elimination of female genital mutilation within a generation and is focusing on advocacy, research and guidance for health professionals and health systems.

20 February

Observance of World Day of Social Justice should support efforts of the international community in poverty eradication, the promotion of full employment and decent work, gender equity and access to social well-being and justice for all.

21 February

2011 International Mother Language Day: The information and communication technologies for the safeguarding and promotion of languages and linguistic diversity

08 March

International Women Day 2011: Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women

21 March

Elimination of Racial Discrimination

21 March in Australia

Hamony Day - Everyone Belongs

22 March

Theme 2011 - Water for Cities : Responding to the Urban Challenge

24 March

04 April

Mine Awareness and assistance in Mine Action

07 April

Theme 2011 : Antimicrobial resistance and its global spread

20 April

22 April

2011 theme : Pledge your Act today!

23 April

25 April

26 April

03 May

09 May

22 May

29 May

LAW.ORDER.PEACE.

31 May

"The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control" as the theme 2011

05 June

08 June

14 June

" More Blood, More Life "

17 June

20 JUNE

25 June

26 June

11 July

28 July

The first official WHO World Hepatitis Day is marked to increase the awareness and understanding of viral hepatitis and the diseases that it causes.

1 to 7 August

Breastfeeding is the best way to provide newborns with the nutrients they need.

19 August

To pay respect to those who have died or been injured in the course of their humanitarian work.

24 August

"Water for Life "

30 August

08 September

10 September

World Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September promotes worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicides.

26 September

28 September

World Rabies Day highlights the impact of human and animal rabies and promotes how to prevent and stop the disease by combating it in animals.

29 September

Cardiovascular diseases are the world’s largest killers, claiming 17.1 million lives a year.

26 to 30 September

04 October

05 October

10 October

13 October

"Vision 2020: The Right to Sight",

16 October

20 October

27 October

06 November

10 November

11 November

14 November

WHO estimates that more than 220 million people worldwide have diabetes. This number is likely to more than double by 2030 without intervention.

16 November

World COPD Day is a global effort to expand understanding of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and advocate for better care for patients.

20 November

Road traffic crashes kill nearly 1.3 million people every year and injure or disable as many as 50 million more.

21 November

25 November

Violence against women and girls is a problem of pandemic proportions.

01 December

World AIDS Day on 1 December draws together people from around the world to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and demonstrate international solidarity in the face of the pandemic.

United Nations International Days

27 January International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust A/RES/60/7

February

4 February World Cancer Day [WHO] 20 February World Day of Social Justice 21 February International Mother Language Day [UNESCO]

March

8 March International Women's Day21 March International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 21 March World Poetry Day [UNESCO] 21 March International Day of Nowruz23 March World Meteorological Day [WMO] 24 March World Tuberculosis Day [WHO] 24 March International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims 25 March International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade25 March International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members —

April

2 April World Autism Awareness Day 4 April International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action 7 April Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Rwanda Genocide7 April World Health Day [WHO] 12 April International Day of Human Space Flight 22 April International Mother Earth Day 23 April World Book and Copyright Day [UNESCO]25 April World Malaria Day [WHO] 26 April World Intellectual Property Day [WIPO] 28 April World Day for Safety and Health at Work [ILO] 29 April Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare

May

Day of Vesak 3 May World Press Freedom Day 8–9 May Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War 14–15 May World Migratory Bird Day [UNEP] 15 May International Day of Families 17 May World Telecommunication and Information Society Day [ITU] 21 May World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development 22 May International Day for Biological Diversity 29 May International Day of UN Peacekeepers31 May World No-Tobacco Day [WHO]

June

4 June International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression 5 June World Environment Day [UNEP]8 June World Oceans Day 12 June World Day Against Child Labour [ILO] 14 June World Blood Donor Day [WHO] 17 June World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought20 June World Refugee Day 23 June United Nations Public Service Day 23 June International Widow’s Day25 June Day of the Seafarer [IMO] 26 June International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 26 June United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

July

2 July International Day of Cooperatives 11 July World Population Day UNDP decision 89/4618 July Nelson Mandela International Day 28 July World Hepatitis Day —30 July International Day of Friendship

August

9 August International Day of the World's Indigenous People12 August International Youth Day 19 August World Humanitarian Day 23 August International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition [UNESCO]29 August International Day against Nuclear Tests 30 August International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances

September

8 September International Literacy Day [UNESCO]10 September World Suicide Prevention Day [WHO] 15 September International Day of Democracy 16 September International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer 21 September International Day of Peace 25 September World Heart Day [WHO] 27 September World Tourism Day [UNWTO] 28 September World Rabies Day [WHO] 29 September World Maritime Day [IMO]

October

1 October International Day of Older Persons 2 October International Day of Non-Violence 3 October World Habitat Day 5 October World Teachers’ Day [UNESCO]9 October World Post Day [UPU] 10 October World Mental Health Day [WHO] 13 October International Day for Disaster Reduction 13 October World Sight Day [WHO] 15 October International Day of Rural Women 16 October World Food Day [FAO] 17 October International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 24 October United Nations Day24 October World Development Information Day 27 October World Day for Audiovisual Heritage [UNESCO]

November

6 November International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict 10 November World Science Day for Peace and Development [UNESCO] 14 November World Diabetes Day [WHO]16 November International Day for Tolerance 17 November World Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Day [WHO] 17 November World Philosophy Day [UNESCO] 20 November Universal Children’s Day 20 November Africa Industrialization Day 20 November World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims21 November World Television Day25 November International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women 29 November International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

December

1 December World AIDS Day2 December International Day for the Abolition of Slavery3 December International Day of Persons with Disabilities5 December International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development 7 December International Civil Aviation Day [ICAO] 9 December International Anti-Corruption Day 10 December Human Rights Day11 December International Mountain Day 18 December International Migrants Day 19 December United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation 20 December International Human Solidarity Day

About the United Nations

This site provides a list of the 192 Member States of the UN, data on each country, how much each country pays to the UN (see Contribution to the UN Budget), and various sources of country information (see Related Links > Information Sources)

World Water Day - 22/03/2010

Water is the source of life and the link that binds all living beings on this planet. It is connected directly to all our United Nations goals: improved maternal and child health and life expectancy, women’s empowerment, food security, sustainable development and climate change adaptation and mitigation. Recognition of these links led to the declaration of 2005-2015 as the International Decade for Action “Water for Life”.

World Tuberculosis Day - 24/03/2010

Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade - 25/03/2010

Slavery is abhorrent. It is explicitly prohibited by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the United Nations has reaffirmed this principle many times, including in the Durban Declaration adopted at the 2001 World Conference Against Racism.

But slavery and slavery-like practices continue in many parts of the world. Slavery is mutating and re-emerging in modern forms, including debt bondage, the sale of children, and the trafficking of women and girls for sex. Its roots lie in ignorance, intolerance and greed.

We must create a climate in which such abuse and cruelty are inconceivable. One way is by remembering the past and honouring the victims of the transatlantic slave trade. By reminding ourselves of past injustices, we help to ensure that such systematic abuse of human rights can never be repeated.

We see the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade in all the countries it affected. If we are wise, we will use this legacy for good. We will recognize that it is clear evidence of what can happen, if intolerance, racism and greed are allowed to triumph.

We should also take heart from those who, with great courage, succeeded in ending this institutionalized abuse. Their bravery ensured the eventual triumph of the values the United Nations represents: tolerance, justice, and respect for the dignity and worth of all human beings.

Today, we salute all the victims of slavery and we commit ourselves to ensuring that this practice, in all its forms, is eradicated.

World Book and Copyright Day - 23/04/2010

23 April is a symbolic date for world literature for on this date in 1616, Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died. It is also the date of birth or death of other prominent authors such as Maurice Druon, Haldor K.Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla and Manuel Mejía Vallejo.

It was a natural choice for UNESCO's General Conference, held in Paris in 1995, to pay a world-wide tribute to books and authors on this date, encouraging everyone, and in particular young people, to discover the pleasure of reading and gain a renewed respect for the irreplaceable contributions of those who have furthered the social and cultural progress of humanity. In this respect, UNESCO created both the World Book and Copyright Day and the UNESCO Prize for Children's and Young People's Literature in the Service of Tolerance.

World Press Freedom Day - 3/05/2010

World Press Freedom Day was established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in December, 1993, as an outgrowth of the Seminar on Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press. This Seminar took place in Windhoek, Namibia, in 1991 and led to the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration on Promoting Independent and Pluralistic Media (www.misanet.org/charters/windhoek.html). The Windhoek Declaration called for the establishment, maintenance and fostering of an independent, pluralistic and free press and emphasized the importance of a free press to the development and maintenance of democracy in a nation, and for economic development. World Press Freedom Day is celebrated annually on May 3rd, the date on which the Windhoek Declaration was adopted.

International Day of Families - 15/05/2010

The United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution 47/237 of 20 September 1993, proclaimed that 15 May of every year shall be observed as the International Day of Families. This annual observance reflects the importance which the international community attaches to families as basic units of society as well as its concern regarding their situation around the world. The International Day of Families provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families as well as to promote appropriate action. The Day can become a powerful mobilizing factor on behalf of families in all countries, which avail themselves of this opportunity and demonstrate support of family issues appropriate to each society. (TEST2)

World No Tobacco Day - 31/05/2010

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL's MESSAGE ON WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY31 May 2009

Every year, some 5.4 million people die from illnesses caused by tobacco consumption – 80 per cent of them in low- and middle-income countries. Up to half of all smokers die from a tobacco-related disease, and science has shown that second-hand smoke harms everyone who is exposed to it. Left unchecked, tobacco-related deaths will rise to more than 8 million by 2030.

Lung cancer, heart disease and other tobacco-related illnesses are part of a broader epidemic of non-communicable diseases, which include strokes, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes. These diseases have become the world’s leading cause of mortality. Sixty per cent of all deaths globally are caused by them, with women being the hardest hit.

That we continue to allow such diseases to be caused by tobacco consumption is a global tragedy. It also comes at vast expense. Economies are harmed by the costs of treating of tobacco-caused diseases and by decreased productivity due to illness and premature death, while families whose members die or become ill due to tobacco use endure an unnecessary financial burden.

On this World No Tobacco Day, I urge governments everywhere to address this needless threat to public health.

World No Tobacco Day is observed around the world every year on May 31. The member states of the World Health Organization created World No Tobacco Day in 1987. It draws global attention to the tobacco epidemic and to the preventable death and disease it causes. It aims to reduce the 3.5 million yearly deaths from tobacco related health problems.

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims - 21/11/2010

This Observance occurs on the third Sunday of November, annually

On 26 October 2005, the General Assembly invited Member States and the international community to recognize the third Sunday in November of every year as the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims as acknowledgement for victims of road traffic crashes and their families ( resolution 60/5 ).

World Television Day - 21/11/2010

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 November as World Television Day (through resolution 51/205 of 17 December 1996). This was done in recognition of the increasing impact television has on decision-making by alerting world attention to conflicts and threats to peace and security and its potential role in sharpening the focus on other major issues, including economic and social issues.

On 21 and 22 November 1996 the United Nations held the first World Television Forum, where leading media figures met under the auspices of the United Nations to discuss the growing significance of television in today's changing world and to consider how they might enhance their mutual cooperation. That is why the General Assembly decided to proclaim 21 November as World Television Day - to commemorate the date on which the first World Television Forum was held.

The celebration highlights how communications have become one of today's central international issues, not only for their relevance to the world economy, but also for their implications for social and cultural development. The celebration also underlines the ever-increasing demands faced by the United Nations to address the major issues facing humankind - and that television - as one of today's most powerful communications media, could play a role in presenting these issues to the world.

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women - 25/11/2010

By resolution 54/134 of 17 December 1999, the General Assembly designated 25 November as theInternational Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, andinvited governments, international organizations and NGOs to organizeactivities designated to raise public awareness of the problem on thatday. Women's activists have marked 25 November as a day againstviolence since 1981. This date came from the brutal assassination in1960, of the three Mirabal sisters, political activists in theDominican Republic, on orders of Dominican ruler Rafael Trujillo(1930-1961).

International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People - 29/11/2010

The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is observed by the United Nations on or around 29 November each year, in accordance with General Assembly mandates contained in resolutions 32/40 B of 2 December 1977 , 34/65 D of 12 December 1979 , and subsequent resolutions adopted under agenda item “Question of Palestine.”

The date of 29 November was chosen because of its meaning and significance to the Palestinian people. On that day in 1947, the General Assembly adopted resolution 181 (II) ,which came to be known as the Partition Resolution. That resolution provided for the establishment in Palestine of a “Jewish State” and an“Arab State”, with Jerusalem as a corpus separatum under a special international regime. Of the two States to be created under this resolution, only one, Israel, has so far come into being.

The Palestinian people, who now number more than eight million,live primarily in the Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since1967, including East Jerusalem; in Israel; in neighbouring Arab States;and in refugee camps in the region.

World AIDS Day - 1/12/2010

The General Assembly, in 1988, stated its deep concern about the pandemic proportions of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Noting that the World Health Organization (WHO) had declared 1 December 1988 World AIDS Day, the Assembly stressed the importance of observing that occasion (resolution 43/15). Today, some 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS.

International Day for the Abolition of Slavery - 2/12/2010

The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, 2 December, recalls the date of the adoption, by the General Assembly, of the United Nations Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and the Exploitation of Others (resolution 317 (IV) of 2 December 1949).

International Day of Persons with Disabilities - 3/12/2010

On 18 December 2007, the Assembly decided to rename the International Day of Disabled Persons, observed every year on 3 December, as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (resolution 62/127). It also called upon States that had no yet done so to consider signing and ratifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol as a matter of priority. The Convention was adopted on 13 December 2006.

The Assembly proclaimed the Day in 1992, at the conclusion of the United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons (1983-1992), by its resolution 47/3. The Decade had been a period of raising awareness and enacting measures to improve the situation of persons with disabilities and provide them with equal opportunities. Subsequently, the Assembly appealed to Member States to highlight the observance of the Day in order to further integrate people with disabilities into the society (resolution 47/88).

International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development - 5/12/2010

The General Assembly has invited Governments to observe the International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development on 5 December each year ( resolution 40/212 of 17 December 1985). It urged them to heighten awareness of the contribution made by volunteer service, thereby stimulating people in all walks of life to offer their services as volunteers, both at home and abroad. In 2001, the International Year of Volunteers, the Assembly adopted a set of recommendations on ways that Governments and the United Nations system could support volunteering and asked that they be widely disseminated (resolution 56/38 of 5 December 2001).

International Civil Aviation Day - 7/12/2010

In 1996, the General Assembly proclaimed 7 December as International Civil Aviation Day, and urged Governments, as well as national, regional, international and intergovernmental organizations, to take steps to observe it (resolution 51/33 of 6 December). the Day had been declared in 1992 by the Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a United Nations specialized agency, to highlight and advance the benefits of international civil aviation. Observation of the Day started on 7 December 1994 - the fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, which established ICAO.

International Anti-Corruption Day - 9/12/2010

International Anti-Corruption Day

On 31 October 2003, the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption and requested that the Secretary-General designate the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as secretariat for the Convention's Conference of States parties ( resolution 58/4 ). The Assembly also designated 9 December as International Anti-Corruption Day, to raise awareness of corruption and of the role of the Convention in combating and preventing it. The Convention entered into force in December 2005.

Human Rights Day - 10/12/2010

All States and interested organizations were invited by the General Assembly in 1950 to observe 10 December as Human rights Day ( Resolution 423 (V) ). The Day marks the anniversary of the Assembly's adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 and is the most important commemorative day of the human rights calendar.

International Mountain Day - 11/12/2010

The UN General Assembly designated 11 December, from 2003 onwards, as 'International Mountain Day' ( Resolution 57/245 ). This decision results from the success of the UN International Year of Mountains in 2002, which increased global awareness of the importance of mountains, stimulated the establishment of national committees in 78 countries and strengthened alliances through promoting the creation of the International Partnership for Sustainable Development in Mountain Regions, known as the 'Mountain Partnership (WSSD, Johannesburg, 2 September 2002). FAO was the designated lead coordinating agency for International Year of Mountains and is mandated to lead observance of International Mountain Day.

International Migrants Day - 18/12/2010

As recommended by the UN's Economic and Social Council (decision 2000/288 of 28 july 2000), the General Assembly has proclaimed 18 December International Migrants Day ( resolution 55/93 of 4 December 2000). On that day in 1990, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families was adopted (resolution 45/158). The Assembly has stressed the need to make further efforts to ensure respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all migrants. It is estimated that one in every 35 persons in the world is a migrant, living and working in a country other than his or her own. All countries have migrants among their population.

United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation - 19/12/2010

On 23 December 2004, the General Assembly declared 19 December of each year as the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation ( resolution 58/220 ). This marks the date, in 1978, when the General Assembly endorsed the Buenos Aires Plan of Action for Promoting and Implementing Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries (resolution 33/134).

International Human Solidarity Day - 20/12/2010

In connection with its observance of the first United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997-2006), the General assembly, on 22 December 2005, decided to proclaim 20 December of each year as International Human Solidarity Day ( resolution 60/209 ). In taking that action, it recalled that the Millennium Declaration identified solidarity as one of the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century.

Holocaust Remembrance Day - 27/01/2011

Rejecting any denial of the Holocaust as a historical event, either in full or in part, the General Assembly adopted by consensus a resolution (A/RES/60/7) condemning "without reserve" all manifestations of religious intolerance, incitement, harassment or violence against persons or communities based on ethnic origin or religious belief, whenever they occur.

It decided that the United Nations would designate 27 January -– the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp -- as an annual International Day of Commemoration to honour the victims of the Holocaust, and urged Member States to develop educational programmes to instil the memory of the tragedy in future generations to prevent genocide from occurring again, and requested the United Nations Secretary-General to establish an outreach programme on the "Holocaust and the United Nations," as well as measures to mobilize civil society for Holocaust remembrance and education, in order to help prevent future acts of genocide.

The Holocaust was a turning point in history, which prompted the world to say "never again." The significance of resolution A/RES/60/7 is that it calls for a remembrance of past crimes with an eye towards preventing them in the future.

Holocaust Remembrance Day - 27/01/2011

Rejecting any denial of the Holocaust as a historical event, either in full or in part, the General Assembly adopted by consensus a resolution (A/RES/60/7) condemning "without reserve" all manifestations of religious intolerance, incitement, harassment or violence against persons or communities based on ethnic origin or religious belief, whenever they occur.

It decided that the United Nations would designate 27 January -– the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp -- as an annual International Day of Commemoration to honour the victims of the Holocaust, and urged Member States to develop educational programmes to instil the memory of the tragedy in future generations to prevent genocide from occurring again, and requested the United Nations Secretary-General to establish an outreach programme on the "Holocaust and the United Nations," as well as measures to mobilize civil society for Holocaust remembrance and education, in order to help prevent future acts of genocide.

The Holocaust was a turning point in history, which prompted the world to say "never again." The significance of resolution A/RES/60/7 is that it calls for a remembrance of past crimes with an eye towards preventing them in the future.

World Day for Social Justice - 20/02/2011

At its sixty-second session, in November 2007, the General Assembly of the United Nations proclaimed 20 February as World Day of Social Justice. The day is to be observed for the first time in 2009.

Member states were invited to devote this special day to the promotion of concrete national activities in accordance with the objectives and goals of the World Summit for Social Development and the twenty-fourth session of the General Assembly, entitled “World Summit for Social Development and beyond: achieving social development for all in a globalizing world”.

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination - 21/03/2011

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on 21 March. On that day, in 1960, police opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa, against the apartheid "pass laws". Proclaiming the Day in 1966, the General Assembly called on the international community to redouble its efforts to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination (resolution 2142 (XXI)).

World Water Day - 22/03/2011

World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. This year's theme for World Water Day is "Water for Cities: Responding to the Urban Challenge.

An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day.

For more information please visit the official website or UNIC Canberra World Water Day page.

World Meteorological Day - 23/03/2011

Each year, on 23 March, the World Meteorological Organization, its 189 Members and the worldwide meteorological community celebrate World Meteorological Day around a chosen theme. This day commemorates the entry into force, on that date in 1950, of the WMO Convention creating the Organization. Subsequently, in 1951, WMO was designated a specialized agency of the United Nations System.

The Right to the Truth of Victims of Gross Human Rights Violations - 24/03/2011

On 21 December 2010, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 24 March as the International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims.

The purpose of the Day is to:

• Honour the memory of victims of gross and systematic human rights violations and promote the importance of the right to truth and justice;

• Pay tribute to those who have devoted their lives to, and lost their lives in, the struggle to promote and protect human rights for all;

• Recognize, in particular, the important work and values of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero, of El Salvador, who was assasinated on 24 March 1980, after denouncing violations of the human rights of the most vulnerable populations and defending the principles of protecting lives, promoting human dignity and opposition to all forms of violence.

The UN General Assembly, in its resolution, invites all Member States, international organizations and civil society organizations and individuals, to observe the International Day in an appropriate manner.

Remembrance of Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade - 25/03/2011

The event is held annually pursuant to General Assembly resolution A/RES/62/122 of 17 December 2007, which called, inter alia, for 25 March to be designated as International Day of Remembrance of Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

The resolution requested the Secretary-General, in collaboration with UNESCO, to establish an educational outreach programme to mobilize educational institutions, civil society and other organizations to inculcate in future generations the “causes, consequences and lessons of the transatlantic slave trade, and to communicate the dangers of racism and prejudice”.

World Autism Awareness Day - 02/04/2011

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that manifests itself during the first three years of life. The rate of autism in all regions of the world is high and it has a tremendous impact on children, their families, communities and societies.

Throughout its history, the United Nations family has promoted the rights and well-being of the disabled, including children with developmental disabilities. In 2008, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities entered into force, reaffirming the fundamental principle of universal human rights for all.

The United Nations General Assembly unanimously declared 2 April as World Autism Awareness Day (A/RES/62/139) to highlight the need to help improve the lives of children and adults who suffer from the disorder so they can lead full and meaningful lives.

International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action - 04/04/2011

On 8 December 2005, the General Assembly declared that 4 April of each year shall be officially proclaimed and observed as the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action (A/RES/60/97).

It called for continued efforts by States, with the assistance of the United Nations and relevant organizations, to foster the establishment and development of national mine-action capacities in countries where mines and explosive remnants of war constitute a serious threat to the safety, health and lives of the civilian population, or an impediment to social and economic development at the national and local levels.

Commemoration of the Rwanda genocide - 07/04/2011

On 7 April every year, the UN commemorates the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, where more than 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus are estimated to have been killed within a period of 100 days.

Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare - 29/04/2011

The Conference of the States Parties at its Tenth Session (paragraph 23.3 of C-10/5, dated 11 November 2005) decided that a memorial Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare would be observed on 29 April each year––the date in 1997 on which the Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force.

This commemoration will provide an opportunity to pay tribute to the victims of chemical warfare, as well as to reaffirm the commitment of theOrganization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to the elimination of the threat of chemical weapons, thereby promoting the goals of peace, security, and multilateralism.

World Press Freedom Day - 03/05/2011

World Press Freedom Day is celebrated every year on 3 May worldwide. It is an opportunity to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty. "21st Century Media: New Frontiers, New Barriers" is the theme of World Press Freedom Day 2011.

By decision 48/432 of 20 December 1993, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 3 May as World Press Freedom Day. Since then, it has been celebrated each year on 3 May, the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek. The document calls for free, independent, pluralistic media worldwide characterizing free press as essential to democracy and a fundamental human right.

The Declaration of Windhoek is a statement of free press principles as put together by newspaper journalists in Africa during a UNESCO seminar on “Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press” in Windhoek, Namibia, from 29 April to 3 May 1991.

International Day of Families - 15/05/2011

The International Day of Families is observed on the 15th of May every year. The Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly resolution in 1993 (A/RES/47/237) and reflects the importance the international community attaches to families. The International Day provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and increase the knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting families.

In its resolution, the General Assembly also noted that the family-related provisions of the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits of the 1990s and their follow-up processes continue to provide policy guidance on ways to strengthen family-centred components of policies and programmes as part of an integrated comprehensive approach to development.

The International Day of Families has inspired a series of awareness-raising events, including national family days. In many countries, that day provides an opportunity to highlight different areas of interest and importance to families. Activities include workshops and conferences, radio and television programmes, newspaper articles and cultural programmes highlighting relevant themes.

The 2011's commemoration of the International Day of Families focuses on the "Confronting Family Poverty and Social Exclusion."

World No Tobacco Day - 31/05/2011

World No Tobacco Day is celebrated around the world every year on May 31. This yearly celebration informs the public on the dangers of using tobacco, the business practices of tobacco companies, what WHO is doing to fight the tobacco epidemic, and what people around the world can do to claim their right to health and healthy living and to protect future generations.

1961- International Health and Medical Research Year

1959/60 - World Refugee Year

World Information Society Day -17/05/2010

On 27 March 2006, the General Assembly adopted Resolution A/RES/60/252 proclaiming 17 May as annual World Information Society Day. This Day will help raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the Internet and other information communications technologies (ICTs) can bring to societies and economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide.

International Day Of United Nations Peacekeepers - 29/05/2010

By resolution 57/129 of 11 December 2002, the General Assembly designated 29 May as the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, to pay tribute to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve in United Nations peacekeeping operations for their high level of professionalism, dedication and courage, and to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace.

International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression - 4/06/2010

On 19 August 1982, at its emergency special session on the question of Palestine, the General Assembly decided to commemorate 4 June of each year as the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression (resolution ES-7/8).

World Environment Day - 5/06/2010

World Environment Day, commemorated each year on 5 June, is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action.

World Oceans Day - 8/06/2010

In 2008, the United Nations General Assembly decided that, as from 2009, 8 June would be designated by the United Nations as “World Oceans Day” (resolution 63/111, paragraph 171). Many countries have celebrated World Oceans Day following the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, which was held in Rio de Janerio in 1992.

The oceans are essential to food security and the health and survival of all life, power our climate and are a critical part of the biosphere. The official designation of World Oceans Day is an opportunity to raise global awareness of the current challenges faced by the international community in connection with the oceans.

The theme of the inaugural observance of the World Oceans Day by the United Nations in 2009 is “Our Oceans, Our Responsibility”. The Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, in cooperation with the Department of Public Information, is organizing a number of events and activities at United Nations Headquarters in New York on 8 June 2009. http://www.un.org/Depts/los/reference_files/worldoceansday.htm

World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought - 17/06/2010

The World Day to Combat Desertification, celebrated each year on June 17, is part of an international campaign by the United Nations to tackle global environmental deterioration, in particular the degradation of drylands. The day marks the anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.

The General Assembly therefore decided that, from 2001, 20 June would be celebrated as World Refugee Day.

This year the UN refugee agency, in its 60th year, will mark World Refugee Day with a rich and varied programme of events in locations worldwide and the launch of a new global awareness campaign. UNHCR will start rolling out the multimedia "One" campaign next week. Over the next six months it will increase awareness about the forcibly displaced and stateless by telling their powerful personal stories. The campaign will carry the message that "One Refugee Without Hope is too Many." Every day, millions of refugees face murder, rape and terror. We believe even 1 is too many.

Where to find UNPAN?

The UNPAN system is centred at the United Nations Headquarters in New York and draws upon existing regional/subregional institutions devoted to public administration and finance in the context of social and economic development. So far, it is comprised of the following online regional centres (ORCs): eight in Africa and three in the Arab States, four in Asia and the Pacific, four in Latin America and the Caribbean, four in Europe, and six in North America.

International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking - 26/06/2010

By resolution 42/112 of 7 December 1987, the General Assembly decided to observe 26 June as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse. This resolution recommended further action with regard to the report and conclusions of the 1987 International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

International Day of the World's Indigenous People - 9/08/2010

By resolution 49/214 of 23 December 1994, the General Assembly decided to celebrate the International Day of the World's Indigenous People on 9 August every year during the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People. In 2004 the Assembly proclaimed a Second International Decade by resolution 59/174. The goal of this Decade is to further strengthen international cooperation for the solution of problems faced by indigenous people in such areas as culture, education, health, human rights, the environment, and social and economic development.

International Youth Day - 12/08/2010

The General Assembly on 17 December 1999 in its resolution 54/120, endorsed the recommendation made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth (Lisbon, 8-12 August 1998) that 12 August be declared International Youth Day. The Assembly recommended that public information activities be organized to support the Day as a way to promote better awareness of the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond, adopted by the General Assembly in 1995 (resolution 50/81).

World Humanitarian Day - 19/08/2010

In December 2008, the General Assembly voted to observe World Humanitarian Day each year on 19 August, dedicated to increasing public understanding of humanitarian assistance activities worldwide and to honour humanitarian workers who have lost their lives or been injured in the course of their work.

The date coincides with the anniversary of the terrorist attack on the United Nations Office in Iraq in 2003, in which 22 people died. Among them was Sergio Vieira de Mello, at that time the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Iraq.

The General Assembly invites all countries, the UN system and international and non-governmental organizations to observe the day annually in an appropriate manner.

For 2009, the Day has three objectives:• To draw attention to humanitarian needs worldwide;• To acknowledge the ongoing work of humanitarian staff around the globe;• To honour those who have lost their lives in humanitarian service.

International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition - 23/08/2010

The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, 2 December, recalls the date of the adoption, by the General Assembly, of the United Nations Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others [Resolution 317 (IV) of 2 December 1949]. The International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition is celebrated every 23rd of August.

World Space Week - 4/09/2010

By resolution 54/68 of 6 December 1999, the General Assembly proclaimed World Space Week, to be observed between 4 and 10 October, to celebrate the contributions of space science and technology to the betterment of the human condition. The dates recall the launch, on 4 October 1957, of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik I, and the entry into force, on 10 October 1967, of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space.

International Day of Democracy - 15/09/2010

On 8 November 2007, by Resolution A/Res/62/7, the General Assembly proclaimed 15 September as the International Day of Democracy, inviting Member States, the United Nations system and other regional, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to commemorate the Day. The International Day of Democracy provides an opportunity to review the state of democracy in the world. Democracy is as much a process as a goal and only with the full participation of and support by the international community, the national governing bodies, civil society and individuals, can the ideal of democracy be made into a reality to be enjoyed by everyone, everywhere.

International Day For the Preservation of the Ozone Layer - 16/09/2010

On 19 December 1994, by A/RES/49/114, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 16 September the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, commemorating the date, in 1987, on which the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was signed. States are invited to devote the Day each year to promote, at the national level, activities in accordance with the objectives of the Montreal Protocol and its amendments.

International Day of Peace - 21/09/2010

The International Day of Peace was first established in 1981 by resolution 36/67 of the United Nations General Assembly to coincide with its opening session every September. In 2001 resolution 55/282 was strengthened to fix the date annually on 21 September and for it to be a day of nonviolence and cease-fire. The resolution was adopted unanimously by the Member States of the General Assembly.

World Maritime Day - 24/09/2010

Every year IMO celebrates World Maritime Day. The exact date is left to individual Governments but is usually celebrated during the last week in September. The day is used to focus attention on the importance of shipping safety, maritime security and the marine environment and to emphasize a particular aspect of IMO's work.

64th Session of the United Nations General Assembly - 28/09/2010

The General Assembly of the United Nations opened its sixty-fourth session on 15 September at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The annual general debate, which traditionally features statements by Heads of State and Government as well as Ministers, began on Wednesday, 23 September 2009, and concludes on 30 September 2009.

Established in 1945 under the Charter of the United Nations, the General Assembly occupies a central position as the chief deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the United Nations. Comprising all 192 Members of the United Nations, it provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter. It also plays a significant role in the process of standard-setting and the codification of international law. The Assembly meets in regular session intensively from September to December each year, and thereafter as required.

Secretary-General Message International Year of Older Persons - 1/10/2010

On 14 December 1990, the United Nations General Assembly (by resolution 45/106) designated 1 October the International Day of Older Persons.

This was preceded by initiatives such as the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing - which was adopted by the 1982 World Assembly on Ageing - and endorsed later that year by the UN General Assembly.

In 1991, the General Assembly (by resolution 46/91) adopted the United Nations Principles for Older Persons.

In 2002, the Second World Assembly on Ageing adopted the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, to respond to the opportunities and challenges of population ageing in the 21st century and to promote the development of a society for all ages.

The theme of the year 2010's commemoration is "Older persons and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)". This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the UN International Day of Older Persons.

International Day of Non-Violence - 2/10/2010

Reaffirming the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence, and desiring to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence, the General Assembly has decided to observe 2 October as the International Day of Non-Violence. By its resolution 61/271 of 15 June 2007, the Assembly invited all Member States, organizations of the United Nations system, regional and non-governmental organizations and individuals to commemorate the Day in an appropriate manner and to disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness.

The resolution originated from a Declaration adopted at the “International Conference on Peace, Non-Violence and Empowerment -- Gandhian Philosophy in the 21st Century”. Mahatma Gandhi was born on 2 October 1869.

World Habitat Day - 5/10/2010

By Resolution A/RES/40/202 the United Nations has designated the first Monday in October every year as World Habitat Day to reflect on the state of human settlements and the basic right to adequate shelter for all. It is also intended to remind the world of its collective responsibility for the future of the human habitat.

World Teachers Day - 5/10/2010

World Teachers' Day was inaugurated by UNESCO in 1994 to focus attention on the extraordinary contributions and achievements of teachers. The Day is celebrated internationally on October 5, the day in 1966 on which a joint UNESCO/ILO conference adopted a recommendation on the Status of Teachers.

World Post Day - 9/10/2010

World Post Day is celebrated each year on 9 October, the anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union in 1874 in the Swiss Capital, Bern. It was declared World Post Day by the UPU Congress held in Tokyo, Japan in 1969. Since then, countries across the world participate annually in the celebrations. The Posts in many countries use the event to introduce or promote new postal products and services.

World Mental Health Day - 10/10/2010

World Mental Health Day is celebrated on 10 October each year. It is an internationally recognised day to promote mental health and wellbeing around the world.

International Day For Natural Disaster Reduction - 14/10/2010

By resolution 44/236 (22 December 1989), the General Assembly designated the second Wednesday of October International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction. The International Day was to be observed annually during the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, 1990-1999. In 2001, the General Assembly decided to maintain the observance of the International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction on the second Wednesday of October (resolution 56/195 of 21 December), as a vehicle to promote a global culture of natural disaster reduction, including disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness.

International Day of Rural Women - 15/10/2010

The General Assembly has declared that 15 October of each year shall be officially proclaimed and observed as the International Day of Rural Women. By its resolution 62/136 of 18 December 2007, the Assembly urged Member States, in collaboration with the organizations of the United Nations and civil society, to undertake measures to improve the situation of rural women, including indigenous women, in their national, regional and global development strategies.

These measures include: creating an enabling environment to improve the situation of rural women; pursuing their political and socio-economic empowerment; supporting their full and equal participation in decision-making at all levels; integrating a gender perspective in the design, implementation, follow-up and evaluation of development policies and programmes; addressing their specific health needs; ensuring the rights of older women in rural areas to basic social services; mobilizing resources for increasing women’s access to existing savings and credit schemes; and integrating increased employment opportunities for rural women in all international and national development and poverty eradication strategies.

World Food Day - 16/10/2010

The aim of World Food Day, proclaimed in 1979 by the Conference of the FAO of the United Nations, is to heighten public awareness of the world food problem and strengthen solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty. The Day marks the date of the founding of the FAO in 1945. In 1980, the General Assembly endorsed observance of the Day in consideration of the fact that “food is a requisite for human survival and well-being and a fundamental human necessity” (resolution 35/70 of 5 December).

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty - 17/10/2010

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty has been observed every year since 1993, when the General Assembly, by resolution 47/196, designated this day to promote awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution in all countries, particularly in developing countries - a need that has become a development priority.

24-30 Oct Disarmament Week

The annual observance of Disarmament Week, which begins on the anniversary of the founding of the Untied Nations, was called for in the Final Document of the General Assembly 1978 special session on disarmament (resolution S-10/2). States were invited to highlight the danger of the arms race, propagate the need for its cessation and increase public understanding of the urgent tasks of disarmament.

In 1995, the Assembly invited Governments, as well as non-governmental organizations, to continue taking an active part in Disarmament Week (resolution 50/72 B of 12 December). It invited the Secretary-General to continue using the United Nations information entities as widely as possible to promote a better understanding among the public of disarmament problems and the aims of the Week.

World Development Information Day - 24/10/2010

The United Nations General Assembly instituted World Development Information Day at its twenty-seventh session in December 1972 (A/Res/3038 XXVII) with the object of drawing the attention of world public opinion each year to development problems and the necessity of strengthening international co-operation to solve them. The General Assembly also decided that World Development Information Day should coincide, in principle, with United Nations Day to stress the central role of development in the work of the United Nations.

World Diabetes Day - 14/11/2010

Welcoming the fact that the International Diabetes Federation has been observing World Diabetes Day globally since 1991, with co-sponsorship of the World Health Organization (WHO), the General Assembly, on 20 December 2006, designated 14 November, the current World Diabetes Day, as a United Nations Day, to be observed every year beginning in 2007 ( resolution 61/225 ).

Recognizing that diabetes is a chronic, debilitating and costly disease which poses serious challenges to development, the Assembly encouraged Member States to develop national policies for its prevention, treatment and care in line with the sustainable development of their health-care systems, taking account of internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals.

The Assembly also invited all Member States, relevant organizations of the United Nations system and other international organizations, as well as civil society, including non-governmental organizations and the private sector, to observe World Diabetes Day in an appropriate manner, including through education and the mass media.

United Nations Day - 24/10/2010

The anniversary of the entry into force of the United Nations Charter -- 24 October 1945 -- has been celebrated as United Nations Day since 1948. It has traditionally been marked throughout the world by meetings, discussions and exhibits on the achievements and goals of the Organization. In 1971, the General Assembly recommended that Member States observe it as a public holiday (resolution 2782 (XXVI)).

Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict - 6/11/2010

On 5 November 2001, the General Assembly declared 6 November of each year as the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict ( resolution 56/4 ). In taking this action, it considered that damage to the environment in times of armed conflict impairs ecosystems and natural resources long after the period of conflict, often extending beyond the limits of national territories and the present generation.

International Day for Tolerance - 16/11/2010

In 1996, the General Assembly invited Member States to observe the International Day for Tolerance on 16 November, with activities directed towards both educational establishments and the wider public ( resolution 51/95 of 12 December). This action came in the wake of the United Nations Year for Tolerance, 1995, proclaimed by the Assembly in 1993 (resolution 48/126). The Year had been declared on the initiative of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); on 16 November 1995, the UNESCO member States had adopted the Declaration of Principles on Tolerance and Follow-up Plan of Action for the Year.

World Philosophy Day - 18/11/2010

Celebrated at UNESCO’s initiative every third Thursday of November since 2002, World Philosophy Day will take place this year on 18 November 2010.

World Philosophy Day was introduced in 2002 by UNESCO to honour philosophical reflection in the entire world by opening up free and accessible spaces. Its objective is to encourage the peoples of the world to share their philosophical heritage and to open their minds to new ideas, as well as to inspire a public debate between intellectuals and civil society on the challenges confronting our society.

Universal Children's Day - 20/11/2010

The General Assembly recommended in 1954 (resolution 836 (IX)) that all countries institute a Universal Children's Day, to be observed as a day of worldwide fraternity and understanding between children and of activity promoting the welfare of the world's children. It suggested to Governments that the Day be observed on the date which each considers appropriate. The date of 20 November marks the day in which the Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rigths of the Child, in 1959, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in 1989.

In Australia, Universal Children's Day is celebrated every year on the 4th Wednesday in October.

Africa Industrialization Day - 20/11/2010

Within the framework of the Second Industrialization Development Decade for Africa (1991-2000), the General Assembly proclaimed 20 November as Africa Industrialization Day ( resolution 44/237 of 22 December 1989). The Day is intended to mobilize the commitment of the international community to the industrialization of Africa.